Category Archives: camp ministry

Christmas Camp Sponsors

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In our last prayer letter, I mentioned needing sponsors for our next big teen camp in December. Some requested more info, so here you go:

We are planning for 100 campers for what we’ve referred to as our Christmas Camp which will go from December 10th-13th. While you hopefully will be enjoying a cool and possibly white Christmas, we will be somewhere in the 70’s and 80’s seeing it’s the start of our summer season here in South Africa:)

Our goal is to raise $50 per camper. This would help with activities, transportation, food, and lodging.

We are continually working to make Camp Rhino a better place for evangelistic outreach and training so any donation would be appreciated.

If you would be interested in sponsoring a camper you can send funds to our mission board by clicking visionmissions.org/give/ or via Paypal by clicking Paypal.me/camprhino.

Thank you for helping us impact these teenagers with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Can’t have camp without a camp fire
Preaching
Big Ball
Thank you for partnering with us to reach people with the Gospel.

Coffey Family October 2019 Prayer Letter

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My heart is full, and ideas are flowing after the incredible medical clinic we had with Bradley Edmondson and his wonderful team with Medical Missions Outreach.  I can’t explain in enough words how much of a blessing they were during their stay.  

We saw over 2,000 patients come through the clinic and hear the Gospel and had over 250 people make professions of faith.  Pray as we consider our next steps.  I would love to have our own full-time clinic here with the help of MMO.  

Missionary Jeremy Hall assisting the dental team

I can’t thank them enough.  If you don’t support this ministry, I want to encourage you to find out more about them and maybe even have them come present in your church.  You won’t regret it.  I believe we will feel the impact of their ministry for a long time to come here in South Africa.  I love what they do and what they stand for. 

Vision Team

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • We are only short $6000 to finish the new dorm-style cabins at Camp Rhino.   We just lack the roof, doors, lights, and some of the labor costs. Please be praying as we also hope to start the main auditorium construction before our main camp season starts in December.     
  • I’m so proud of the team of South Africans we get to work with.  The people in our churches did an amazing job volunteering.  I was blown away by those who stepped up and shared the Gospel to hundreds of people during the 4-day clinic.  I literally saw them grow by leaps and bounds right before my eyes.
  • Christmas Camp is Dec. 10-13. Sponsors are needed.

Prayer Requests & Praise  

  • Contacts.  Pray as we follow up on the over 2000 contacts we made this past week with the medical clinic we did with MMO. 
  • Pray for the over 250 people who made professions of faith this week in our clinic. 
  • Pray for our Bible college and Bible institute students as they grow in the Word of God.  We need more people to give their lives to start churches and reach the lost.   
  • My wife Amy’s hearing is doing well.  We couldn’t be more pleased with the results.  She’s not at the 3-month mark, which is the final test, but everything seems to be going very well.   
  • Pray for our surrounding countries.  We need more missionaries in order to reach Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, and Swaziland. 
  • Pray as we consider obtaining property to one day start building our own full-time medical clinic here in South Africa. 

Coffey Family September 2019 Prayer Letter

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Prayer request and Praise

  • We started a new teen Sunday school class for 13 to 15-year-olds at New Life Baptist Church because of recent growth.  Our classes are growing and we had another teen trust Christ this past week.  Camp Rhino is really helping us attract more teens. 
  • Our Bible Institutes and Bible College classes are going well.  We have 18 taking Bible Institute Courses and 4 going full time at Bible College.  We are praying and hoping for more young people to surrender to full-time ministry.   
  • My wife Amy’s surgery appears to have gone very well.  The doctor was happy with the results at her first appointment after the surgery, but we really won’t know how much her hearing has improved until the 3-month mark.  
  • Please be in prayer for Wells Estates Baptist Church.  It’s a church our team has had to restart.  Pastor Sipho is leading a team from New Life to minister each week in the Wells Estate’s community.  They are doing good work.

Quick Updates and Reminders

  • We now have $11,800 committed of the $20,000 needed for new dorm-style cabins at Camp Rhino.   Please be praying for the rest we need as we also hope to start the main auditorium construction before our main camp season starting in December.     
  • We had a terrific summer (winter for us) season of mission teams here in South Africa.  We have already heard of three individuals surrendering to full-time missions who were part of the 4 trips.    
  • Medical Missions Outreach arrives in South Africa to start a 4-day clinic on Sept. 19th.

About 15 young guys from the ages of 12-16 have been coming faithfully to New Life Baptist Church the past couple of months.   Almost all of them first responded to the Gospel while attending Camp Rhino.  This is a trend we hope to see in all of our churches.

When we first started praying about starting Camp Rhino, this is what we had in mind.  A place that would aid in getting more young people plugged into our local churches.  We’re now beginning to see that take place.  

Our goal is to see more churches started through everything we do.  Pray as we labor to impact more young people with the Gospel.  The foundation is still being laid.  We pray many young people are raised up with the burden to follow our King’s command to get the Gospel to every creature.  We know that command was given in the context of Bible-preaching churches.  If they have a church, they have a chance. 

Bionic Ear – Quick Update

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My wife Amy’s surgery appears to have gone very well.  We won’t know for sure until 3 months have passed, but her hearing seems to be returning.  I actually feel like she has bionic hearing now.  We were so used to having to talk louder before the surgery, we get accused of screaming now:)

 

 

 

 

Here is the picture of the bone that was removed and replaced with a prosthetic. It’s actually the smallest bone in the human body.

Thank you for praying and giving for the Camp Rhino construction project.  Another $2800 was committed this past week. We now have $11,800 of the $20,000 we need in order to finish the 5 dorms/cabins we’re currently building.

 

Coffey Family August 2019 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise

  • We just finished up our summer missions trip season with our last church leaving this past Friday, which happened to be our home church, Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, GA.  What a wonderful summer we had with the 4 teams that visited.    
  • We would love to have you visit us here in South Africa.  Would you pray about leading or being part of a missions team in the coming years.  My first missions trip changed my life in an amazing way, and I want you to have the same opportunity.   Email me if you’re interested in an information packet. 
  • My wife Amy is having surgery on August 6th to fix her ear where she has lost around 75% hearing.  The surgeon feels confident, but there are risks involved that could cause a lot of problems, not to mention complete hearing loss in that ear.  Please pray things go well and she’s able to regain her hearing. 

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • We now have $8000 of the $20,000 needed for staff housing at Camp Rhino.   Please be praying for that need as we also hope to start the main auditorium construction as well.  Be on the lookout for our next Camp Rhino one year plan I will be sending out in the coming days.    
  • Worth Baptist Church from Fort Worth, TX and Vision Baptist Church sent incredible teams to work here in Port Elizabeth.  What an encouragement and blessing they were to all of us.  Both teams are greatly missed already.    
  • New Life Baptist Church is going well and growing.  Pray for Wells Estates Baptist Church as there haven’t been many visitors from the community.   
John Pearson teaching at Camp Rhino

As we finished up another wonderful camp day at Camp Rhino with over 100 young people in attendance, I was reminded of the tremendous opportunity we have here in South Africa to reach souls.   

Vision Baptist Church was a great help with this all day activity.  With more events like this, we will be able to aid our churches in reaching the lost and training believers. 

  • Worth Baptist Team Singing at Soweto Baptist Church

Our hope is that by December we will be at full capacity at the camp, being able to house 120 campers along with all the staff and counselor.  We can’t do it without your help.  Please pray. 

Our next semester of Bible College starts this week at Camp Rhino.  Pray for our current students as they grow in the word, and pray that more students give their lives to be trained for full time ministry.    Again, thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Coffey Family July 2019 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise  

  • We praise the Lord for the 10 teenagers who made professions of faith this past week at Camp Rhino.  Pastor Gary Bohman and Pastor Chase Rooks from Gospel Light Baptist Church in Helena, AL did a tremendous job preaching for us.  
  • Our mission team from Gospel Light aided in our VBS at Wells Estates Baptist Church as well. Over 30 children made professions of faith during their time here.  Many prayed and fasted for these meetings and I believe God truly blessed in a special way.  We have not seen results like these in quite some time.  
  • I want to thank all of you who prayed for me regarding my recovery with spinal meningitis.  I believe God answered your prayers.  My energy has returned and for the past two weeks I have felt terrific.  I can’t thank you enough for praying.  
  • Please continue to pray for my wife Amy as she will probably be having ear surgery on August 6th.  

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • Almost $4000 of the $20,000 needed came in this past month to help with our construction needs at Camp Rhino.  We are in great need for staff housing here at Camp Rhino, and we praise the Lord for the help that has come in. 
  • We are so grateful for the mission teams that have visited this year.  Newton Baptist Church and Gospel Light Baptist Church were a great blessing.  We are looking froward to having Worth Baptist Church and our home church, Vision Baptist Church in the next weeks to finish out the summer season.  Pray God works in their lives in a great way during their time here.    

June and July have been the months of salvations.  On top of the souls saved at Camp Rhino and VBS, we’ve had a few saved in our services at New Life Baptist Church.  

A couple of weeks ago a man trusted Christ as Savior, and the following week his teenage son got saved as well.  We also had two teenage girls follow the Lord in believers baptism.  

We hope to see this trend continue as we work to share the Gospel and disciple those who have made a decision to accept Christ.  

I would ask you to pray concerning a problem we have.  For the last several months a deaf teenage boy has been attending our church.  My son Luke lead him to the Lord using a  dry erase white board.  We are really in need of a deaf ministry.  Please pray we can work something out soon. 

Again, thank you all for your prayers and financial support.  We couldn’t do what we love if it wasn’t for your help.

Coffey Family June 2019 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests and Praise

  • Please be in prayer for my wife Amy.  She has lost about 50% of her hearing over the last couple of months.  This week we found out the cause and the solution of her hearing loss.  Amy needs to have surgery on both ears.  If the surgery is successful she would regain 90% of her hearing.  We’re trying to decide the best place for her to have surgery right now.  If we stay here in South Africa, the surgery would be in August.
  • Pray for our mission teams coming to South Africa this summer.  Pastors Aaron Smith and Scott Young just left, and we currently have Newton Baptist Church with us.  We will have three more teams in July.     
  • As many of you know, I had viral meningitis a few weeks back and had to be in the hospital for a few days.  The worse of it is over, but some of the side effects are lingering a bit more than I was expecting.  It’s nothing serious, but the main problem is that I get tired really easy and have little energy before the day is over.  Please pray I can get past this and be energized for the ministry ahead.  

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • My son Tyler is now in Argentina on his six month internship.  Pray he has a great and productive time in South America. 
  • We are in great need for staff housing here at Camp Rhino.  I need to raise about $20,000 in the next weeks to get us where we need to be.  Pray we can complete the facilities we need soon.   
  • Our hopes are to have at least one full week of camp in July.  If we can work out housing for our staff, that won’t be a problem.  If we can’t we will probably have a few camp days where we bus in the teens.   

New Life Baptist Church is going well.  We have four students currently enrolled in our Bible College and the church is maturing.  

Because of problems at one of  our sister churches, our pastoral team is spreading out to pastor both churches at the same time.  

Right after services at New Life, Pastor Sipho, Khona (assistant pastor in training), and Mvume (song leader) will be driving over to Wells Estates Baptist Church and starting services.  We will also hold midweek services at Wells Estates on Thursdays. 

We are planning to start Bible institute classes in both churches this year for the growth of both congregations.  Pray for our team as we continue to ministry and see both churches prosper.      

Thank you all for your prayers and financial support.  It’s an honor to serve our Savior in South Africa and to be able to partner with you all in the ministry.  

Coffey Family May 2019 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise  

  • Please be in prayer for my son Tyler.  He is finishing up his missionary training degree at the Our Generation Training Center in Alpharetta, GA.  His last step is a 6 month internship in Argentina, with Missionaries Patrick and Leslie Henry.  If you are interested in helping my son, any support can be sent to our board.
  • Please be in prayer for our upcoming Purity Conference at Camp Rhino which is an event held for our ladies.  We are expecting a good turn out from all our churches in PE.    
  • Please also be in prayer for our Youth Day at Camp Rhino where all teens from our PE churches will be coming to Camp Rhino from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, May 18th.  Pray for souls to be saved and lives surrendered to the ministry.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • We are excited to announce that Camp Rhino is now 100% debt free.  All of our dorm buildings, pool, pavilion, kitchen, and house have completely been paid for.  We are progressing new construction only as money comes in.
  • A special $3000 donation was given this past month to help finish 3 rooms and possibly help build a small storage facility.  
  • We are soon starting our mission team season here in South Africa.  Our first group arrives here on May 29th and we have groups through the summer until August 1st.  We then have a medical team that will be here in September.  We are honored to host these teams and pray that the Lord does a great work through them and in them during their time.  Please be in prayer for these teams as they ministry in S. Africa.

This has been the most unusual month for my family.  About 2 weeks ago I started feeling ill.  It started out as a sinus infection and turned into viral meningitis. I was down for several days at home and then ended up being in the hospital for three nights.

I’m still a little out of it and now recovering at home, but my very first time to spend the night in a hospital was very strange and different, especially when they put me in the isolation ward.  


I want to thank all those that prayed for me.  I am overwhelmed by the amount of prayer support that people gave.  Seeing everyone who mentioned they were praying for me on Facebook was very humbling and life changing.  

I believe that it was a much more serious situation that was diffused by all the prayer support.   I’m not sure how I contracted the meningitis, but I am thankful for all your prayers. 

Coffey Family April 2019 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise  

  • Please be in prayer for my son Tyler.  He is finishing up his missionary training degree at the Our Generation Training Center soon.  His last step is a 6 month internship in Argentina.  I have included his support letter with this prayer letter, but if you are interested in helping, any donations or support can be sent to our board. 
  • Our 5 Bible college students enjoy their studies very much, but please continue to pray for them and pray more young people surrender to ministry.   
  • We are in need of storage space for Camp Rhino.  Pray we can raise the $5000 for our first storage space. We also need additional camper and staff living quarters.  I will be devoting more time in the near future in raising the needed funds.  More videos and updates are on their way.  Check out our Instagram or Facebook page to stay informed and connected.   

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • Our new work at Fitches Corner is not taking off as well as we hoped.  We actually have more people at our Thursday Bible Study than we do for our Sunday AM service. Pray we can reach more with the Gospel in this new area.       
  • Tim and Destiny Kelly arrived this week.  They will be a great help with Camp Rhino.  Please pray their needed monthly support and setup fund come in.  
  • New Life Baptist Church and Pastor Sipho are doing well.  The adults and core teen group are maturing well.  Khona Nohamba is doing a great job assisting.  Pray our offering and our numbers to continue to grow so Pastor Sipho can be supported completely by the church.   

Our visa situation continues to be an area of concern.  Amy and I will be traveling to the city of Durban next week to turn in our applications for our visa renewals.  Our lawyer is confident we won’t have problems, but she was pretty condifent we wouldn’t have any issues the last time we applied as well.  It didn’t turn out well.  So…..who knows?:). 

Our teammates Jeremy & Bekah Hall, and Stephen and Ashlee Underwood are waiting to hear back from the same kind of visa application.  We are all hoping there won’t be any hold ups.  For my family, our main worry is having to travel back to the States to reapply  for a new visa if this visa application is rejected here.  Our current visa expires July 30th.  

Please pray we can get this taken care of soon.

Tyler Ellis 

Missionary Intern to Argentina 

I have fantastic news! In June of this year, I will be going to Argentina, South America to train under Missionary Patrick Henry for six months.

Two years ago, I started training to be a church-planting missionary at the Our Generation Training Center in Alpharetta, GA. This six month internship will be the last requirement to finish my degree.  

I deeply appreciate the countless prayers and support I have received up until now. It’s been an incredible experience. 

I am not sure what field the Lord will lead me to following my internship, but I look forward to the practical training I will gain from living in a Spanish South American culture.  

Goals for the 6 Months:

  • Begin learning Spanish
  • Adapt to a new culture and language
  • Gain great church planting experience in a different culture
  • Continue equipping myself for a life long service in missions
  • Win and disciple new believers
  • Get out of my comfort zone

Please pray for me as I prepare for this journey. Pray that God would greatly use, grow, and provide for me. Your prayers are invaluable as I pursue God’s calling!  

I need to raise approx. $12,000 for my timein Argentina.  This will cover everything from airfare to rent.  One-time gifts or monthly support is greatly appreciate.  I can’t do this without help from folks like you.  I currently have over $8000 committed for my trip.  Just under $4000 more to go. 

All support can be sent to: 

Vision Baptist Missions

P.O. Box 442 

Alpharetta, GA 30009 

Please add: “Tyler Ellis Internship” in the memo line.

Thank you ahead of time for your prayers and possibly your financial support.   I pray there will be much fruit to your account as He continues to draws lost men to Himself.

Please check out my Facebook Page “Follow Me to Argentina”  and my website at christianunit.com for further updates! Join me to see the incredible work that God is doing in Argentina!

Yours in Christ,  

Tyler Ellis